In the past, trucking companies have employed numerous techniques and systems to control and encourage the proper operation of their trucks. Improper or inefficient operation of the trucks can result in considerable waste, especially when it occurs in numerous trucks within the fleet. One particular system that has been employed in the past utilizes a trip recorder, which is placed onboard the truck to monitor the vehicle speed, engine RPMs, fuel flow rate, etc. With such onboard recording devices, these indicia of vehicle operation are recorded on some recording means, such as a tape or disk, and later periodically removed from the vehicle and provided to a trucking company where a report of the vehicle operation is generated. In some trucking companies, if a vehicle has been operating within the predetermined desired parameters, the truck driver will be eligible for a cash bonus.
While this system has been used in the past to monitor and encourage correct operation of the truck it has definite drawbacks and shortcomings.
The driver is typically rewarded many days, if not weeks, after the time period in which the truck was properly operated. This delay in notification and award tends to diminish the importance of the proper operation of the vehicle to many drivers.
Consequently, there exists a need for improvement in systems for monitoring and encouraging the proper operation of trucks.